Gynecological Surgery

Ana María Poo Figueroa

Universidad de La Frontera , Chile

Title: Representation of obstetric violence as understood by professional midwives in the city of Temuco

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this research is to characterize the representations of obstetric violence, from the perspective of midwives in Temuco. Those professionals face daily the process of labor, delivering and puerperium. Method: Qualitative research with intentional sampling, of a type case. Nine midwives were interviewed online until the information was saturated. Data was analyzed manually by descriptive analysis and triangulated with researchers. Results: The professionals agree that obstetric violence is an abusive behavior exercised by action or omission and it can manifest itself physically or verbally. As a risk factor for exercising it, they mention stress and lack of empathy. The consequences of the violence for women are physical and mainly psychological damage, such as post-traumatic stress and depression. Conclusions: The interviewees agree that obstetric violence is a problem, and light needs to be shed on it. According to them, the main factors for preventing obstetric violence are training and the humanization of health through the development of empathy. 

Understanding obstetric violence from the perspective of those who could exercise it provides information to generate the necessary support so that health professionals have the tools to prevent it. 
It is necessary to highlight the experience of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium as positive experiences for the user, the newborn and the family, developed in a safe environment from the clinical and psychological point of view, considering a holistic approach based on rights humans.
Like all qualitative research, it has an intrinsic value in rescuing the perspective of the experience of health providers in this area, who have identified the need to modify the practices and the care model in the birth process.

Biography

Ana María Poo F., Psychologist, Midwife, Master in Pedagogy and University Management. A 30-year career at the Universidad de La Frontera, 10 years at the Universidad Autónoma de Chile, she teaches research on reproductive health, health psychology, violence in courtships and gender with 26 publications in Scielo and Wos magazines. She supervises undergraduate and postgraduate thesis, supervisor of professional practice in the health area in Psychology. Postgraduate teacher specializing in neonatology, Universidad de La Frontera, 30 years of professional development as a psychologist at the Family Health Center.